[INTRO] [NARRATOR] Three days north of Valorn’s capital… the newly formed company rode toward Broken Keep. An abandoned fortress lost beyond the frontier forests. Said to contain forgotten relics… ancient vaults… and weapons from wars older than Valorn itself. And if the stories were true… they needed to reach it before the enemy did. [NARRATOR] Brogar Stonevein rode silently beside the company. Brann’s hammer strapped across his back. The dwarf speaking little… but watching everything. [CAELEN] You ever smile, Stonevein? [BROGAR] Once. Didn’t care for it. [NARRATOR] The roads grew quieter as the company pushed north. Then came the smell. Smoke. Death. [DARIAN] Weapons out. [NARRATOR] The company entered the ruined camp slowly. Broken wagons. Dead horses. Bodies scattered through the mud. Treasure hunters. Mercenaries. Explorers. All slaughtered. And nailed above the shattered supply cart… hung the sigil of a stone crown. [GARRICK] Not Githyanki. [NARRATOR] Massive bootprints covered the road. Ogre tracks. Warg tracks. Heavy infantry formations. Too organized for raiders. [SELENE] Gods… [VAEL’KIR] Something worse. [NARRATOR] Then came the horn. Deep. Violent. Monstrous. [NARRATOR] The forest exploded. Orc soldiers surged from the treeline in disciplined shield formations. Gnoll archers fired from elevated rocks. Bugbear assassins dropped from the trees. And behind them… trolls. [GENERAL THROKK IRON-REIGN] IRONMAW LEGION! BREAK THEM! [BAND] SHIELDS COLLIDE! THE FOREST SHAKES! BLOOD RUNS HOT WHEN KINGDOMS BREAK! [NARRATOR] Drogath Skullbreaker crashed into the front line like a siege engine. Twin axes splitting shields apart. [DROGATH] FINALLY! A REAL FIGHT! [NARRATOR] Brogar’s hammer shattered an orc captain from his saddle. [BROGAR] FOR BRANN! [NARRATOR] Lyessa vanished into smoke and shadow. A bugbear assassin lunged for Caelen— Then collapsed with Lyessa’s dagger buried through its eye. [CAELEN] You saved me. [LYESSA] Don’t make it weird. [Fast Guitar] [NARRATOR] Father Malric strode directly into a pack of gnolls. Chain flail burning with radiant fire. [FATHER MALRIC] BURN THE DARKNESS! [NARRATOR] Three gnolls exploded beneath holy flame. But still they came. Disciplined. Relentless. Organized. [GARRICK] These aren’t raiders! They’re soldiers! [NARRATOR] Then the trolls hit the rear line. Explorers and wounded survivors scattered into the trees. One young boy stumbled beside a burning wagon. [SELENE] The child! [NARRATOR] Selene sprinted through the chaos toward him. Too late. A massive troll burst through the smoke directly toward her. [THOREN] SELENE! [NARRATOR] The troll slammed her violently across the shattered wagon. Armor cracked. Blood sprayed across the snow. [Music Stops] [CAELEN] NO! [NARRATOR] Then Brogar roared. Not like a warrior. Like something ancient and furious. [NARRATOR] The dwarf charged through burning wreckage and smashed Brann’s hammer directly into the troll’s skull. Bone exploded. The troll collapsed instantly. [BROGAR] YOU DON’T TOUCH MY PEOPLE! HOLD THE LINE! DO NOT BREAK! STAND TOGETHER! MAKE THEM SHAKE! FROM ASH AND BLOOD THE STRONG WILL RISE! WE FIGHT AS ONE OR VALORN DIES! [NARRATOR] Vael’kir stepped into the center of the battlefield. Eyes glowing silver. Then suddenly— every enemy soldier froze. [NARRATOR] Visions flooded their minds. Astral terror. Endless screaming voids. Several orcs dropped their weapons immediately. Others clawed at their helmets in panic. [FATHER MALRIC:stunned whisper] By the gods… [NARRATOR] General Throkk Iron-Reign surveyed the battlefield calmly from the treeline. Unshaken. [THROKK] Withdraw. [NARRATOR] The Ironmaw Legion retreated in perfect formation. No panic. No chaos. And before disappearing into the smoke… Throkk planted a massive rune-carved banner into the frozen earth. The mark of Graulkar Stone-Thought. [GARRICK] Gods help us… Someone united the monsters. [NARRATOR] The battle was won. But victory carried a cost. Selene Valestar barely breathed beneath blood-soaked blankets. Dead explorers lay scattered across the ruined camp. And somewhere beyond the northern forests… Broken Keep waited. [BROGAR] Then we move fast. Whatever’s hidden in that fortress… the enemy wants it too. [DARIAN] Move out. [FINAL CHORUS] RIDE THROUGH FIRE! RIDE THROUGH PAIN! THE DARK RETURNS TO RULE AGAIN! BUT STEEL AND BLOOD STILL LIGHT THE WAY! AND VALORN LIVES ANOTHER DAY! [OUTRO] [NARRATOR] And across the northern frontier… the mountains had begun to march.
